The 47-year-old faces charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape, related to the treatment of inmates at the notorious prison in western Libya, where thousands, including women and children, were reportedly held for prolonged periods.
Al Hishri told the judges, “Just requesting my release,” when asked for comments about his arrest. This marks the first appearance of a Libyan suspect in ICC custody since the court began investigating crimes committed during Libya’s 2011 civil war. The ICC currently has nine outstanding arrest warrants for Libyan individuals.
Al Hishri was arrested in Germany in July and transferred to the ICC detention unit on Monday. Judges noted that any request for release pending trial must be formally filed in writing. A confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled for May 19, 2026, with the trial itself expected to start later that year.
In January, another Libyan ICC suspect, Osama Elmasry Njeem, was arrested in Italy for crimes linked to Mitiga prison but returned to Tripoli due to alleged errors in the arrest warrant. His release provoked political outrage in Italy and triggered a blocked parliamentary investigation into Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other officials.